Well, my 7mm TCU barrel is on the way from Ed's. I've looked at the three manuals that I have with load data for the 7TCU and would appreciate some advice on good loads for my applications. For now, I am only punching paper - trying to get a feel for the gun, relaoding for it, etc. I've looked at other topics that had commentary ralated to ammo, but most are for hunting, or silhouettes. I'm looking for a low cost, good shooting, easily loaded round. I've found Remington brand projectiles for 10-12$ per 100. They appear to be geared for rifles. As long as the accuracy is OK, it won't matter to me how it expands. What about powder? The only other rifle round that I load is .223 - with Winchester 748 exclusively (Can't beat the results so far). Any advice on a good, moderate cost round would be apprecaited. For unknown reasons, I am gravitating towards 130-140 grain projectiles. Thanks in advance.

The 7mm TCU shoots most loads well. Since you aren't hunting I'd get the Remington bullets and find a load with WW748. That way you won't have to have yet another powder can on the bench.

However, I hunt and I am shooting 29.4 gr. H4895, Hornady 120 gr. SSP, CCI 400 (SR), in reformed commercial and military cases. Also, I am now trying 30.5 gr. H335 with the other components being the same. It is easier to fit the H335 in the case!

What ever you do, good shooting!

Ferdinand - You have lots of choices for powder as the TCU doesn't really seem to be very finicky. You didn't mention what length of barrel that you're shooting, but that doesn't really matter too much. As for your purposes, which you said was mainly shooting at targets then you really don't have a "best" powder or bullet as long as it shoots 'em real close together in your gun.

In my experience 748 tends to have a bit more muzzle blast than other powders (then again so will 335 & BL-C2). If you don't care about muzzle blast then all three of these are good powders. My usage is on the silhouette side where I load the round down using 4227. Overall I would probably gravitate to 322 or 2015 if I were just pokin holes in paper.

I have a 24" bull barrel, all I've used so far are 100gr Sierra and Hornady HP's over 31.5gr of Win 748 in winchester brass with CCI primer, Sierra was the first bullet I tryed worked up to 31.5 then tryed the Hornady. Both seemed to be equally accurate at this charge. Don't have a chronograph so couldn't say what I'm getting for speed but I'm guessing in this long a barrel this would be a Maximum load for win 748.

Also have a 24" 223 that likes 50gr Hornady SXSP's over 27.5gr of win 748, this same load was one of the two loads that shot well in a super 14" 223 I had and when I got the carbine barrel I found that this barrel liked it to.

I'm thinking I need a 10" 7TCU next, It's a sweet little round. You'll like it and I'm betting the win 748 will work just fine for you.

Good Luck

I should mention that I use the same loads in my 10" and 21" barrels and that there is almost exactly 400 fps difference. 10" about 2050 fps and 21" about 2475 fps with the H4895 load. The H335 won't go as fast out of the 10" but is a little faster out of the 21" than the H4895 load.

26g H335 with 139grain Hornady SP's is a MOA load in my 10" factory bbl. Haven't chrony'd it yet, but est velocity around 1600/1700 fps.

My overall length is 2.700" but your chamber may be cut slightly different.

For a plinker/fireform load I've used 9gr Unique with the same bullet for around 1100fps. Accuracy was ok, not great.